Newly defected members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), across Osun state, who joined the Action Democratic Party (ADP), have argued that their exit from the ruling party would fetch it defeat in the September 22 governorship election.
Three members of Osun state House Assembly elected on the platform of APC weekend defected to ADP.
The recently defected members are Hon. Debo Akanbi, representing Ede North State Constituency, Hon. Tajudeen Famuyide representing Ilesha West State Constitutency and Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim, representing Iwo State Constitutency.
Speaking, former APC Deputy State Chairman, Alhaji Isha Adesiji, said many of them dumped APC to ensure Osun was not further mortgaged.
Adesiji, who alongside, Prof. Adeolu Durotoye, the running mate to ADP governorship candidate, while receiving the lawmakers claimed APC had been hijacked by people hell-bent on foisting an unpopular candidate on the majority members.
According to him, “We made APC strong, election winning party. We have left APC, sweetness has left the party. We have torn the party into shred. ADP is the party that will form next government in Osun.
“They have been going around to discredit our candidate, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti. They said he does not have money to run. I am assuring you, we have enough resources to prosecute the gubernatorial election. Adeoti is not sellout. Keep supporting him and we shall all celebrate his victory on September 22.”
Addressing the crowd of ADP supporters at the event, the running mate to ADP governorship candidate, Prof. Durotoye, said to the party represents hope and better days for Osun people.
He maintained that the programmes of ADP have been carefully fashioned out to meet the needs of all categories of people living in the state and called for maximum support of all and sundry to win Osun for the party in the forthcoming election.
In his remarks at the event, Hon Akanbi, a second term lawmaker, said himself and others took APC to Ede town and declared that he and others would send the party out of Osun state.
“All those people we brought into APC, I have contacted them and they have all promised to support Adeoti. Aregbesola had understanding with us to spend just 8 years and support another Osun based politician to succeed him. He wants to install another Lagos man. We won’t allow that.
“Agitation by West Senatorial to produce governor is now a movement. More members of Osun Assembly will dump APC and join Adeoti in ADP,” Akanbi said.
Hon. Famuyide, while speaking said some people believed they own APC, urging people of the state to resist the impunity of the ruling party.
“ADP is the real progressives. Reactionary have taken over our former party, APC. Let’s go out to educate voters about our new party, the ADP,” Famuyide said.
Commenting on the defection, a chieftain of ADP from Gbongan, Omooba Dotun Babayemi, said the same zeal used by members to make APC strong would be used to make ADP victorious in the September 22 poll.
He urged all members of ADP to embark on aggressive members drive to bring into the party more members, stressing the need for all stakeholders to ensure Osun was rescued from people that plan to annex it to another state.
“We will pursue our resolve to make Adeoti the next governor of Osun state with the seriousness it deserves. Our dedication and zeal gave APC strength. We have transferred that to the ADP and with that spirit, I have no doubt, Adeoti will win next Osun governorship election”, Omooba Babayemi concluded.
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